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Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

It's no secret that thus far, Leake has pitched better than Volquez has. That's not to say it will continue, but there's no doubt that Leake has control that is light years ahead of Volquez. Given that Bailey and Cueto are rehabbing right now and will be back before long, what happens? We know that LeCure's spot will be taken by 1 of them. But what about the other? Do you send Leake to 3a? Do you put Volquez in the bullpen? Volquez has walked almost as many batters as the rest of the rotation combined. He has also given up 6 jacks, which is a staggering and concerning number. He is a K machine, however.

Re: Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

Going to a game Volquez pitches is like watching a concert with a really crap opening act.

I'm kinda sick of it. It's clearly a head issue for him at this point (and, really, it's been head issues for him since his Texas days), and if he can't sort it out, I don't want him on the ballclub costing the the team games.

Re: Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

When Bailey and Cueto return, my rotation would be Cueto, Bailey, Arroyo, Wood, and either of Leake or LeCure, with the other in the bullpen. I send Maloney back down and try to make a deal for Volquez. I also make it the first priority for 2012 to prepare Chapman to become a member of the rotation. In a way, I think it's too early to make a decision about Volquez, and perhaps his problems are exacerbated by the surgery, but the problems look very much like those that have plagued him throughout all of his career except for the first half of his first season with us: command issues, and there's very little reason to believe they will get better.

Re: Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

Going to a game Volquez pitches is like watching a concert with a really crap opening act.

I'm kinda sick of it. It's clearly a head issue for him at this point (and, really, it's been head issues for him since his Texas days), and if he can't sort it out, I don't want him on the ballclub costing the the team games.

At the risk of getting another lecture and causing a long post by someone with all kinds of statistics with lots of capital letters in them, I'll just say this. Of course, i've said it before, but the guy has real talent. Real talent. Unfortunately, his history (just like Josh Hamilton's drug history and injury history) is there for everyone to see. He is a pitcher whose command comes and goes. It was that way at Texas and in the minors. He had a good first half in his first year, but after that, he's been an average pitcher who can wow you on one day and drive you nuts on the other. I do not expect anything else from him, and that's fine.

It's pretty obvious the kid has a mental block in the first inning this year, but he hasn't been around long enough (big early inning pitch counts) for anyone to know if he will pitch OK late in a game. So, those who expect him to be the ace will be disappointed.

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Re: Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

When I see Volquez pitch, all I can think of is how many of us kept telling ourselves that EE would eventually learn how to throw the ball to 1B.

Edinson definitely has talent; his arm is quite live. But I find it interesting that we treat control like something that be improved pretty easily -- like it's just a matter of time. We certainly treat it differently than stuff. Nobody expects Mike Leake to start striking out a guy an inning. Very few guys go from having poor control to having good control.

As for the rotation; I think Maloney and Leake head to Louisville and LeCure takes over the long relief role.

Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.

Re: Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

Unless Volquez gets his 1st inning woes straightened out in the next couple of starts you have to either send to the bullpen or to AAA if he has options left. You can't let him continue to put his team in the hole every game. It puts too much pressure on the entire team to come from behind. Not to mention that it will slowly burn out a bullpen because you having to take him out an inning or two earlier than you would have he had got off to a good start. That loss yesterday was all on him. If he comes out the gate well the Reds win that game easily. You can't keep giving away games like that and expect to make the playoffs.

Re: Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

Unless Volquez gets his 1st inning woes straightened out in the next couple of starts you have to either send to the bullpen or to AAA if he has options left. You can't let him continue to put his team in the hole every game. It puts too much pressure on the entire team to come from behind. Not to mention that it will slowly burn out a bullpen because you having to take him out an inning or two earlier than you would have he had got off to a good start. That loss yesterday was all on him. If he comes out the gate well the Reds win that game easily. You can't keep giving away games like that and expect to make the playoffs.

The bullpen is no place for a guy with 1st inning woes. More like a phantom arm injury and a few rehab starts in the minors.

Re: Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

Arroyo, Cueto, Wood, Leake, Bailey. LeCure has done nothing but impress me in his brief stint in the majors and deserves the chance to be the "next man up." I send Volquez down to A ball, yes A ball.

Edinson's issues aren't a talent issue, more a mental and preparedness issue. You can't keep running him out there when he gets hammered in the 1st inning. You can't have him average a ~ 3 run hole after the 1st inning. I send him down to A ball, with a set of rules, and tell him he has to earn his way back to the bigs. That means coming prepared to start every game. That means harnessing his control and throwing strikes. That means eliminating mental lapses. That means heading into the 1st inning ready to pitch. As it is right now that he has a mental block in that first inning. Wonder if it had anything to do with his poor playoff performance (Ankiel thinking). Until he gets that straightened out he does the Reds little good.

Re: Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

Arroyo, Cueto, Wood, Leake, Bailey. LeCure has done nothing but impress me in his brief stint in the majors and deserves the chance to be the "next man up." I send Volquez down to A ball, yes A ball.

Edinson's issues aren't a talent issue, more a mental and preparedness issue. You can't keep running him out there when he gets hammered in the 1st inning. You can't have him average a ~ 3 run hole after the 1st inning. I send him down to A ball, with a set of rules, and tell him he has to earn his way back to the bigs. That means coming prepared to start every game. That means harnessing his control and throwing strikes. That means eliminating mental lapses. That means heading into the 1st inning ready to pitch. As it is right now that he has a mental block in that first inning. Wonder if it had anything to do with his poor playoff performance (Ankiel thinking). Until he gets that straightened out he does the Reds little good.

I think it's unfair to suggest that because he's having trouble with his first inning that he's not trying hard enough. None of us knows what's going on in his head.
Coming prepared? Unless the coaching staff thinks he's not putting work in to be prepared, they are just as responsible at finding a preparation method that puts him in an advantageous spot.

When people say that I donít know what Iím talking about when it comes to sports or writing, I think: Man, you should see me in the rest of my life.
---Joe Posnanski

Re: Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

I think it's unfair to suggest that because he's having trouble with his first inning that he's not trying hard enough. None of us knows what's going on in his head.
Coming prepared? Unless the coaching staff thinks he's not putting work in to be prepared, they are just as responsible at finding a preparation method that puts him in an advantageous spot.

Re: Leake vs. Volquez & The Starting Rotation

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

I think it's unfair to suggest that because he's having trouble with his first inning that he's not trying hard enough. None of us knows what's going on in his head.
Coming prepared? Unless the coaching staff thinks he's not putting work in to be prepared, they are just as responsible at finding a preparation method that puts him in an advantageous spot.

Then whats the issue? It wouldn't be the first time that an organization didn't think he was taking his preparation seriously. You can't keep running him out there when he puts the team behind the 8 ball every single start.

I am just not in the camp of saying "everything is fine" or "its an outlier" or "things will average out". Fact of the matter is right now its looking like Edinson's success was the outlier.

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